Not quite perfect
by JolinarJackson
Summary: Sometimes, she didn't know whether she should just leave. But she'd promised Daniel not to run away anymore.


**Not quite perfect**

_Snippet: _Sometimes, she didn't know whether she should just leave. But she'd promised Daniel not to run away anymore.

_Word Count:_792

_Rating:_ PG _  
Spoiler: Crusade, Memento Mori  
Setting:_ Season 10 – after _Memento Mori__  
Author's Note:_ Written for the _Women of the Gate_ prompt centered around _The first time …_ I'm answering the prompt _The first time Vala is thanked by someone at the SGC_.

_Feedback:_ Can't breathe without it.

_Beta:_ Anne McSommers – thank you.

_Disclaimer: _I'm not making money with this fanfic. The tv-show _Stargate SG-1_ and the characters appearing within it belong to their producers and creators. Any similarities to living or dead persons are purely coincidental and not intended.

Vala had spent her life seeking the perfect home. She'd never had one. Her father had led her and her stepmother from one planet to another because of his life as a swindler and thief.

Sometimes, they had spent only days on the same planet, sometimes weeks or even a year. Nothing was made for eternity. Vala had always wanted to avoid becoming like her father, to learn an honest profession and to build up an honest life.

A perfect life.

Plans died, especially when one was taken as a host by a Goa'uld. After Qetesh was gone she'd noticed that the people on the worlds belonging to the Goa'uld were still worshipping her. It was far too easy to use them. At first, Vala had considered it a compensation for her endured torture. However, there had been a point where she'd started to lie and to gain advantages on planets which were not part of Qetesh's empire, too. She seemed to have a natural talent for it. She simply had never stopped after that.

Now, everything had changed.

Vala loved the SGC in the morning. The people weren't stressed yet, the corridors quiet, and the first planned dial-in or return was still an hour away. She checked with a hand whether her plait was fitting as it should and gave the Airman she shared the elevator with a smile. She was treated considerably more friendly than a year ago, when she'd been here the last time. That had been before Tomin, before the Ori ... and before Adria. But those in the SGC who knew that she wasn't a civilian consultant were still eyeing her with scepticism. Many knew which role she was playing in Adria's life, in the Orici's life. It made the people distrustful. Vala had learned long ago how to handle that. She'd done it her entire life.

Nevertheless, this behavior was making scratches in the beautiful façade of her new refuge. Sometimes, she didn't know whether she should just leave. But she'd promised Daniel not to run away anymore. And even though it wouldn't be the first time that she broke a promise, she didn't want to do it.

Nevertheless, she wanted those looks to stop. She'd never been bothered by them before, but since she'd woken up without her memories, living a life as Valerie the waitress, her feelings had changed. Valerie had had a good life.

Her boss had liked her, she'd been able to make her customers smile and her colleagues had helped her to find her way. Vala wanted that here too, the support and the feeling of being part of something. But here, she wasn't Valerie, but Vala, pirate, thief and swindler. And her freshly acquired membership with SG-1 wasn't relevant for those who were against her. The prejudices remained.

She left the elevator on level twenty-two and entered the busy mess hall. She joined the queue in front of the coffee machine and crossed her arms.

The team made it easier for her. Particularly Daniel, who was different since her kidnapping, almost careful. He listened to her more, he dedicated time to her and Vala had the uncertain feeling that he'd played a large part in her wearing the SG-1 badge.

Vala filled her cup and left the canteen. The elevator was empty when she entered.

Vala hadn't told Daniel how tempted she had been to just leave after the kidnapping. She'd been determined to complete the project _Home: Earth_ but it didn't seem to be working out. She'd never been content with less than perfect, and Earth wasn't perfect. But the SG-1 badge had held her back, shown her that something had changed.

Daniel's office was already brightly lit. Vala knew his schedule. She stopped in the door for a moment, watching him staring intensely at his computer screen, one hand on the keyboard, the other one holding a pen. She entered and put the cup down in front of him. Daniel looked up from his screen. "Hey!" he said.

"For you," Vala answered, "Two sugars, no milk."

Daniel smiled. "You never brought me coffee before."

Vala shrugged. "I wanted to."

He tipped his head to the side. "How are you?"

"Fine," she answered with a shrug, "I remember everything now so …"

He nodded. Vala sighed. "I'll go now. Teal'c promised to kick my ass at basketball."

She was already at the door when he said, "Vala … thanks for the coffee."

It was the first time that somebody from the SGC had thanked her, and that made her smile. She shrugged. "You're welcome." She left the office.

Earth wasn't perfect … but maybe, a home didn't have to be.

END

JJ 03/10


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